1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to dice game, and more particular to poker inspired sequence dice games, and still more particularly to a dice game that introduces chip selection as a strategic element to a poker-based dice game.
2. Discussion of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 61.97, 1.98:
Dice poker and variations on dice poker are well known. The traditional English game of dice poker has been imported and modified in several countries, including the Latin American game of Generala (sp. “Alert”). However, by far the most popular version of dice poker goes by the name of Yacht in Canada, and is variously referred to as Cheerio, Yot, and Yam in the United Kingdom. A version of this game has been popularized in America as YAHTZEE® [a registered trademark of Hasbro, Inc. of Pawtucket, R.I.] The game is a sequence, or turn-based, dice game that has as a principal object to gain the highest number of points possible using a scoring scheme that associates points according to the results of rolls of several dice at a time. It can be played as a kind of solitaire or with a virtually unlimited number of players, but even when played as group the games involve nothing more than several players playing the solitary version generally together with turns taking place in order. Several countries have introduced scoring variations, though the general principals of the game remain largely unchanged.
The object of these dice games is to achieve the highest possible score from throwing 5 dice during a turn. At each turn, each player gets five dice to roll. In the manual version of the game, all five dice are placed in the dice cup and the cup is covered with a hand and shaken. The cup is then turned over, usually somewhat ceremoniously and dramatically as players are wont to endow the roll with precatory energy. After this initial roll, the player may either score that roll and end the turn, or he/she may elect to reserve some dice showing their results and then re-roll the remaining dice. Each player has a maximum of three rolls on each turn, which include the initial roll of all five dice, and then two possible but option re-rolls of some or all dice. After three rolls the player must choose one of 13 categories to score and enter a score for that category.
After a player scores the roll, he passes the cup to the next player. If playing solitaire, he simply initiates a new turn. The process is repeated in turn until each player has completed 13 rounds, each round addressing one of the 13 possible categories. When the game concludes, each player will have entered a score for each category. The game ends once all 13 categories have been scored. Once a category has been scored, it cannot be scored again for the rest of the game (except for a special category for rolling a five-of-a-kind). The game scorecard plays an important role in the execution and strategic decision making, and scoring either involves entering the total of the pips indicated on the rolled die (upper section) or achieving specified combinations on the die face, such as 3 and 4 of a kind, full house, small and large straights, flush, and the like (lower section). Obviously, the dice combinations correspond to poker hands and even bear the same name.
A special bonus situation arises when a 5-of-a-kind is rolled. Additional rolls of five-of-a-kind reward the player with bonus points or the choice of using the roll as a wild card. The player may also elect to score a “Chance” category or may score any roll in any category at any time, even if the resulting score is zero, which is known as a “scratch” or “dump” score.
In Yacht, as with all card and dice games, luck is the principal element in determining the outcome. However, strategy is also quite important, as each player must elect and scoring in only one scoring category at each turn. Because the number of different scoring combinations equals the number of turns in the game, each player must make difficult at each turn as to when to select a particular category in which to enter a score.
However, for all its popularity, Yacht, and its American counterpart, has features that limit its comparison to card poker. Most notably, it fails to provide suit markings. Some dice games have been devised to improve on the imperfect implementation of a dice-based card game by marking the dice with a suit and a rank. However, this is simply not possible in Yacht, as the dice do not include a color feature and other marking corresponding to a suit. Accordingly, combinations corresponding to flushes cannot be achieved.
Thus, in addition to Yacht, other dice games inspired by cards include those shown in the following United States patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,919 to Martelli teaches the use of five game dice having faces that include six symbols similar to those of standard playing-cards. It also includes the use of a new suit that increases the possible combinations when using six-sided dice. The markings corresponding to numbered playing cards, ace through nine, are distributed among the dice in such a way that straight flushes and fours of a kind can be rolled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,145 to Jones, et al, discloses a dice game that uses seven cubic dice bearing numeric indicia with each of six dice having faces marked from 1 to 6, and a seventh having one of its faces marked with the letter “W” defined as “wild” and the other five faces unmarked. A dice cup and rectangular dice box are used, the latter having a bottom and four side walls to define a playing space for throwing the dice. Points are tallied according to the poker combinations shown on the dice in an initial or repeat throw.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,306 to Sanders, describes a card-inspired dice game using eight-sided game dice having suit attribute markings. This is a variant on the game of Yacht, which again introduces the possibility of flushes and straight flushes, as in the card game of poker. Each die is eight-sided, and carries a unique combination of numerical attribute markings and suit attribute markings, selected from a range of eight numerical values and five suits.
The foregoing patents reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein. Specifically, to date there is no known poker based dice game that includes the display and use of chips and chip selection as a strategic element.